CYST AND VEGETATIVE CELLS DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF

HARMFUL DINOFLAGELLATES IN QUELLÓN BAY,

SOUTHEAST OF CHILOÉ ISLAND
L. Guzmán, P. Salgado, G. Labra, X. Vivanco
Instituto de Fomento Pesquero (IFOP), Puerto Montt, Chile
leonardo.guzman@ifop.cl

Introduction Cysts analysis Toxin analysis

Since 2009, Alexandrium catenella has been declared as a Cysts counts for bottom samples and sediment traps were PSP mousse bioassays were negative, and HPLC
plague HAB species, because of the risk and negative effect in general very low for A. catenella (Fig. 4), although analysis was negative for STX and Neo-STX. Only trace
that this organism poses to fisheries and aquaculture. This occasionaly forms intense blooms in this area, and the last levels of GTX 2-3 and subtoxic levels of GTX4, recorded
measure considers a vast area that encompasses from previous to this study occurred in 2009. mainly during May to September 2012 and reappeared in
Southern Chiloé Island (43° 22´S) to Beagle Channel (54° April 2013 (Fig. 5).
L. polyedrum cysts were more abundant, and its
55´42”S). encystment rates were higher (max. value 34 cyst·m-2·day-1), A. ostenfeldii has been associated to a similar toxin
This study is conducted in an important sector for mussel specially during Spring 2012. Vegetative cells of this profile in another areas of Southern Chile.
farming and adjacent to the northern limit of A. catenella HAB species were not identified in plankton samples, until 2015
Only 2 positive samples were detected for DSP. These
plague area, with the objective to detect spatial and temporal (Fig. 3b).
results could be attributable to false positives, by
distribution of this microalgae, both the vegetative phase and previous evidence caused by yessotoxins from P.
its resistance cysts, also including other harmful taxa, as well 180
reticulatum, and that the toxin profile for D. acuminata in
a
as relevant toxins for the area (PSP, DSP). 160 Autumn 12
this area has only been associated to PTX2.
Winter 12
140
4,5
Spring 12
Cysts total number

120
Summer 13 4,0 4
GTX2
100
3,5
GTX3

GTX 2 - 3 [N° trace levels]

80
3,0 3
GTX4 (ng/ul)
60

GTX4 (ng/uL)
2,5

40
2,0 2

20
1,5

0
1,0 1
A. catenella A. ostenfeldii P. reticulatum L. polyedrum

3500 0,5

b
Autumn 12 0,0 0
3000

4-5 aug 12

11-feb-13

14-mar-13
15-oct-12

15-nov-12
22-23 aug 12

5-9 nov 12

15-apr-13
11-12 may 12

8-9 jun 12

12-13 jul 12

21-22 sep 12

14-15 dec 12

10-11 jan 13
Winter 12

2500 Spring 12
Fig. 1. Study area and sampling sites for Southern Chiloé Area, northen A. Summer 13
Fig. 5. Toxin profile for HPLC analysis
Total cysts

catenella HAB plague boundary. 2000 Autumn 13

1500

Materials and methods Conclusions

1000

Sampling was carried on 9 locations (Fig. 1), from February During the study period, no intense blooms were
2012 until April 2013, by collecting net vertical samples (23 detected, but some harmful species were persistent over
500

um) and quantitative phytoplankton sampled with a hose in 0

A. catenella A. ostenfeldii P. reticulatum L. polyedrum
time.
a total of 41 cruises. Bottom samples and sediment traps
Fig. 4. Cyst abundance in (a) bottom samples and (b) sediment traps. Relative Abundance confirms its importance for early
were used for collecting dinoflagellate cysts and shellfish
detection of harmful species compared to quantitative
were colected for toxin analysis.
analysis.
Relative abundance (RA) of 6 harmful species was
a b Cyst abundance results show no clear relationship
estimated from net samples using a relative abundance
between planktonic dinoflagellates abundance and their
scale and cell density from quantitative samples. Cysts were
corresponding cyst numbers.
identified and counted. Toxin analysis for PSP and DSP was
carried using mouse bioassay and HPLC for STX and Even though it has already been detected its vegetative
analogs. form, excystement studies must be developed in order to
verify the identification of Lingulodinium polyedrum cysts.
Data analysis included encystment ratio calculations and
Cluster analysis. Although toxin detection was very low, and DSP positive
Fig. 3. a. Alexandrium cf. tamarense morphospecies; results and GTX toxin profiles could not be directly
Results and Discussion b. Lingulodinium polyedrum cell attributed to any species, there is some previous
evidence that could identify possible producers.
7 140

Phytoplankton analysis
6
A. catenella
120 References
Dinophysis acuminata was the most numerically important
A. ostenfeldii
Blanco, J., G. Alvarez & E. Uribe. 2007. Identification of pectenotoxins in plankton,
Diseño: Mario Recabal M. / Ediciones y Producción / IFOP

A. catenella RA
harmful species, both in qualitative and quantitative
5 100
filter feeders, and isolated cells of Dinophysis acuminata with an atypical toxin profiles,
Cell density [cell*L-1]
Relative Abundance

analysis, accounting for the 57% total relative abundance,
followed by A. ostenfeldii (16%), P. reticulatum (15%), A.
catenella (10%), D. acuta (2%) and A. cf. tamarense
(<1%).
A. catenella did not produce an intense bloom during this
sampling period, and only reached low to moderate RA
A. ostenfeldii RA
from Chile. Toxicon. 49 (5): 710-716.
4 A. cf. tamarense RA 80
Fux, E., J. L. Smith, M. Tong, L. Guzmán & D. M. Anderson. 2011. Toxin profiles of
3 60
five geographical isolates of Dinophysis spp. from North and South America. Toxicon,
Volume 57 (2): 275-287.
Godhe, A., F. Norén, M. Kuylenstierna, C. Ekberg, & B. Karlson. 2001. Relationship
2 40
between planktonic dinoflagellate abundance, cysts recovered in sediment traps and
1 20 environmental factors in the Gullmar Fjord, Sweden. Journal of Plankton Research,
23(9): 923-938.
Guzmán L., X. Vivanco, G. Pizarro, G. Vidal, V. Arenas, L. Iriarte, S. Mercado, C.
0 0
5-jul-12

3-sep-12

3-mar-13
3-may-12

3-dic-12
20-abr-12

5 & 9 nov 12

22-ene-13

4-abr-13
11 & 12-may-12

19-jun-12

24-oct-12

15-abr-13
25-abr-13
10-mar-12
21-mar-12
30-mar-12

22-may-12
30-may-12
8 & 9-jun-12

24-jul-12
4 & 5 aug 12
22 & 23 aug 12

27-sep-12
5-oct-12
15 & 16 oct 12

15-nov-12
23-nov-12

1-feb-13
14 & 15 dec-12
22 & 23 dec-12
2 & 3 jan 2013

14-mar-13
25-mar-13
28-feb-12

21 & 22 sep 12

10 & 11 jan 2013

11-feb-13
21-feb-13
12 & 13-jul-12
10 & 11-apr-12

Alarcón, H. Pacheco & M. Palma. 2012. The Relative Abundance as a tool to increase
levels. the certainty of temporal and spatial distribution of harmful algal species. Poster
presented at: 14th International Conference on Harmful Algae; 2010 Nov 1-5;
Samples for Relative abundance detect on more occasions 7
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41
140 Hersonissos, Crete, Greece.
Pizarro, G., N. Pesse, P. Salgado, C. Alarcón, C. Garrido, & L. Guzmán. 2012.
the presence for harmful species than quantitative analysis 6
D. acuminata
120 Determinación de capacidad de adherencia, mecanismos de propagación y métodos de
D. acuta
(Fig. 2), confirming that RA is a better and more sensitive P. reticulatum destrucción de Alexandrium catenella (célula vegetativa y quiste). Final Report.
estimate for monitoring purposes. 5 D. acuminata RA 100 Subsecretaría de Pesca - Instituto de Fomento Pesquero.
Salgado, P., V. A. Troncoso, M. Montresor, M. Salamanca & C. Lange. 2011. First
Cell Density [cell*L-1]
Relative Abundance

D. acuta RA
record of Lingulodinium polyedrum (Dinophyceae) resting cysts in coastal sediments
The recent record of Alexandrium cf. tamarense 4
P. reticulatum RA 80

morphospecies (Fig. 3a) was detected only in very low
numbers in net samples at least once in every sampling
station between July to August 2012.
Cluster analysis using RA data generated only 2 groups of
sampling stations; I. Laitec (L20) and I. San Pedro (L23),
from the Inner Sea of Chiloé, Los Lagos Region southern Chile (~41°-43°S). Gayana
3 60 Bot. 68(1): 106-109.
Vivanco, X., G. Pizarro, B. Paz, P. Álvarez-Chaver, C. Hernández & C. Zamora.
2 40 2012. Perfil de yesotoxinas en moluscos de la región de los Lagos asociado a floración
de Protoceratium reticulatum. Poster presented at: XXXII Congreso de Ciencias del
1 20 Mar; 2012 Oct 22-25; Punta Arenas, Chile.
0 0
Acknowledgements
5-jul-12

3-sep-12

3-mar-13
20-abr-12
3-may-12

3-dic-12

22-ene-13
11 & 12-may-12

5 & 9 nov 12

4-abr-13
15-abr-13
25-abr-13
10-mar-12
21-mar-12
30-mar-12

22-may-12
30-may-12
8 & 9-jun-12
19-jun-12

24-jul-12

27-sep-12

24-oct-12

15-nov-12
23-nov-12

1-feb-13
4 & 5 aug 12

15 & 16 oct 12

14 & 15 dec-12
22 & 23 dec-12
2 & 3 jan 2013

14-mar-13
25-mar-13
22 & 23 aug 12

10 & 11 jan 2013

21 & 22 sep 12

5-oct-12
28-feb-12

11-feb-13
21-feb-13
12 & 13-jul-12
10 & 11-apr-12

The Ministry of Economy of Chile funded this contribution through the ASIPA Project Total
segregated independently because of their general higher distribution and abundance of harmful phytoplankton and dinoflagellate cysts in selected
RA counts. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 sites in South Eastern Chiloé Island (2012-2013). Attendance was funded by agreement
Fig. 2. Relative Abundance (RA) and Cell Density results for harmful species CORFO-IFOP 2016.